They Noticed
by RavenGhostWriter
Summary: What if Harry's teachers noticed something was not right at the Welcoming Feast? How would this change Harry's first night at Hogwarts? This story is AU and describes some bad injuries.


Harry Potter and friends belong to JK Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **They Noticed**

Professor Minerva McGonagall watched as the new first years walked into the entrance hall. She quickly looked over all the students, but her eyes landed on a certain boy in the back of the line. He was a thin, short, boy with messy black hair. Professor McGonagall knew who it had to be Harry James Potter. She realized almost at once just how thin he was. She shrugged it off, however, as she led them into the Great Hall to be sorted. She called out names and waited to see who would make it into her house.

Finally, she called out, "Potter, Harry!"

Harry walked up to the stool nervously and sat there for quite some time. Just when she was about to ask the headmaster what to do, the hat shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"

Professor McGonagall felt pride as she watched Harry go to the Gryffindor table.

During the feast, there was a teacher watching Harry Potter closely. Severus Snape noticed that Harry was not eating much, and looked like he had many bruises on his arms. He narrowed his eyes and saw that the boy was much too thin. He turned to his right, where Headmaster Dumbledore was talking with Deputy Headmistress, Professor McGonagall.

"Headmaster," said the Potions Master smoothly. "Look at Potter."

Dumbledore looked over at the Gryffindor table to see Harry Potter, but not just Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived. As he looked closer, he could see bruises on the boy's wrists. He looked to Minerva and said, "Get Harry to the hospital wing. I shall be there shortly."

Professor McGonagall swept down to the Gryffindor table.

"Mr. Potter," she said briskly. "Please follow me outside of the hall."

"What did I do?" Harry asked in a panic as soon as the doors shut behind them.

"You are not in trouble," she said in her no-nonsense tone. "We need to visit the hospital wing."

Harry immediately looked frightened and bolted away to an empty classroom and hid in a corner. He was never allowed near a doctor or nurse, because they would find out about the bruises, and Uncle Vernon would kill him. The teachers couldn't make him go to the hospital wing, not even that strict professor who was his Head of House. Some time later, the door opened to reveal Professor McGonagall, Professor Dumbledore, and another teacher who looked rather grumpy.

"Mr. Potter!" said Professor McGonagall. "There you are. Come now."

"Relax Minerva," said Professor Dumbledore. "Harry, my dear boy, you have bruises peeking out of your sleeves and are much too small for your age. We' like to heal you."

Well, Harry thought. Not being in pain sounded good and perhaps he could hide the scars and open wounds.

Harry stood up and followed the teachers out of the classroom and to the hospital wing, where he met the nurse, Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey ran her wand over the boy to learn the extent of his injuries. She liked doing physical exams too but the wand scan told her what to expect. She shot a worried glance at the teachers.

"How did the boy hurt himself?" Professor Snape asked.

"Headmaster," said Madam Pomfrey, turning to Dumbledore. "Mr. Potter's arms and ribcage area are covered in bruises with evidence of old rib fractures. He has an infected wound on his back that I will need to see in order to treat. Mr. Potter, please remove your school robes and shirt."

Harry was slow to comply but did as he was told. With his shirt off, Madam Pomfrey looked at his back before speaking again.

"His back is covered in old scars from a belt. He has multiple infected wounds caused by a belt buckle."

The teachers looked sickened. Professor Snape spoke first. "Potter," he said. "How did you get these injuries?"

Harry looked as though he was about to faint. He was shaking and starting to hyperventilate. Madam Pomfrey hurried over to her potions cabinet and grabbed a calming potion. She hurried back to the group and tried forcing the potion down Harry's throat. However, Harry wouldn't stay still and fought against her.

Professor Dumbledore picked the shaking boy up and sat on the bed, holding Harry's arms still, and holding him still. Professor Snape snorted, only to get a glare from Professor McGonagall. Madam Pomfrey tipped the contents of the potion down Harry's throat. Immediately, Harry stilled and started to come back to awareness. He realized that he was in someone's arms. He just knew that if Uncle Vernon had been there at the moment, he would be dead within a minute.

"Harry," said Professor Dumbledore's voice calmly. "Will you let Madam Pomfrey heal you, please? Afterward, we can talk."

Harry decided to just come out with it. Uncle Vernon would find out either way, and he would be dead after that.

"You don't need to heal me," he said. "Uncle Vernon will just kill me."

All the adults in the room gasped. Professor Dumbledore put Harry back on the bed and turned to his deputy.

"Minerva," he said. "Go get Hagrid. I need to ask him a few questions. Tell him to go to my office. Poppy, heal Harry. Severus, stay here in case Harry has another panic attack."

 _In the Headmaster's office_

"Hello Professor Dumbledore sir," said Hagrid as he ran into the room.

"Hagrid, I would like to ask you a question about Harry," said Professor Dumbledore. "Did you see any bruises on Harry's arms when you saw him?"

"No sir," said Hagrid, surprised. Dumbledore hadn't asked him any questions about Harry, only if all went well.

"Did you know that Harry's arms are covered in bruises down to his wrists?

"No sir."

"Were the Dursleys kind?" Dumbledore asked, dreading the answer.

Hagrid exploded. "NO!" he boomed. "They were mean, stupid, muggles! They tried to stop Harry from coming to Hogwarts! They even lied to him about his parents! They said that they were killed in a car crash!"

"Does he know the truth?" Dumbledore asked worriedly. If not, it would be for him to explain everything to him.

"Yes sir, he knows," said Hagrid. "I told him everything. That fat boy, Dudley, will think twice before messing with me."

"What you do mean, Hagrid?" Dumbledore asked.

"I, er, did, er, magic," said Hagrid nervously.

Dumbledore smiled slightly at him. "What did you do?"

"Gave him a pig's tail," said Hagrid. "Sorry sir, I know I am not supposed to use magic."

"It's alright Hagrid, I won't tell the Ministry," said Dumbledore. "But do be careful. Thank you Hagrid, I'll take it from here."

Hagrid nodded, knowing it was his cue to leave. He walked out of the room hoping that Harry would be ok.

 _Back in the hospital wing_

Harry lay in bed as Madam Pomfrey and Professor Snape talked in Madam Pomfrey's office. Madam Pomfrey used creams and spells to heal him, and now he was told to rest. But he couldn't rest. He was too scared that Uncle Vernon would come in the door any minute. A while later, the door opened to reveal Dumbledore, and another woman. Dumbledore stood near Madam Pomfrey's office as the woman came over to Harry.

"Mr. Potter," she said. "My name is Madam Bones. I would like to ask you a few questions. Is that alright with you?"

Harry nodded.

"Tell me everything you've gone through that you can remember while at your aunt and uncle's house," she said.

Harry gulped, but didn't disobey. He explained everything, even the cupboard under the stairs, which he swore he saw anger in Dumbledore's eyes, and, what was that? Sadness?

When he stopped talking, Madam Bones thanked him for being honest before joining the other teachers in Madam Pomfrey's office.

"Well?" Snape asked the moment the door closed and silencing spells were up.

"The Dursleys will be arrested and sent to the muggle court for abuse to a minor," said Madam Bones. "It sounds like he got those bruises after Hagrid's visit, therefore, Hagrid didn't see them."

"And the wounds?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"He's had those for months. Every time they got close to healing, the uncle would punish him again. Minerva, until we can find a guardian for Mr. Potter, you are his temporary guardian."

"I have failed him," said Dumbledore softly. "I would like to make it up to him. I will try to get custody."

"Headmaster!" said Madam Pomfrey. "The students! The school! You don't have time!"

Dumbledore turned to her. "I will make time. The school is important to me, but Harry comes first. I will not make the same mistake twice."

Madam Pomfrey opened her mouth to protest, but quickly stopped after receiving a glare from Professor McGonagall meaning it would be pointless to argue.

"Very well," said Madam Bones. "I will leave you to it then. Goodbye."

Dumbledore walked out of the office with Madam Bones. Once she left, he sat on Harry's bed.

"Harry," he said quietly. "For now on, you're staying here at the castle. You're never going back to the Dursleys."

"B…" Harry started, but was cut off by his headmaster.

"No Harry, no buts," said Dumbledore. "You're mine now. I left you at your aunt and uncle's when you were a baby, and I will never make that mistake again. To ensure that nothing like that happens again, I'm getting custody of you."

Harry couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. He clapped his hand over his mouth. Smiling was against the rules. Dumbledore seemed to sense what Harry was thinking.

"Harry, my dear boy, it's alright. You can smile. While here at Hogwarts or in my care, you're allowed to smile. It's not a bad thing to smile."

Harry felt a bit relieved as he uncovered his mouth and smiled a little bit more. Everything was going to be okay now.


End file.
